photo courtesy of AP Images
Can we take a moment to celebrate the natural hair representation on a major TV network like NBC? There are many topics regarding the NBC drama series ‘This Is Us’ that we could dive into, but I’d like to take a moment to focus on the character Beth Pearson, played by Susan Kelechi Watson. Watson plays the wife to one of the triplets, Randall Pearson. While the trio and their parents are arguably the main characters of the show, Beth manages to steal the scenes and our hearts in every episode. Here are just a few reasons why her character is so important.
Beth could easily be any one of us
Women are constantly told how to act, behave, think and even how to wear our hair. Many of things we are told to be are not realistic. What I love about Beth’s character is that she is authentic in an industry in which so few female characters are.
Beth represents many women today
She wears many hats, as a wife and mother while still maintaining her sense of self. It is a balance that can be challenging. It is important to see a present day woman in a realistic and fulfilling way. Plenty have proclaimed Beth and Randall as #relationshipgoals. I mean who can forget when Randall stated, “and don’t get it twisted. I wake up every morning next to a head scarf and coconut oil — I’m married to a black queen!”
So let’s get to it. Why does it really matter that Beth rocks her natural hair?
Beth has rocked a number of natural styles, from box braids to the pineapple method, to a ponytail. The afro may be my personal favorite. Susan Kelechi Watson makes a bold statement that she is not afraid to switch it up. It’s easy for people to think that natural hair is limiting, but there’s so much versatility with natural hair. We need to see that natural hair comes in many different forms, and that’s okay!
She truly embraces her natural hair.
Beth is motivation and she sends a clear message that that natural hair is beautiful. Something that I need to be reminded of from time to time. I have done a big chop twice in two years and there were many times I struggled to accept that natural hair is very much trial and error. Once I got rid of the idea that my hair was supposed to be perfect, I embraced that my hair is beautiful just the way it grows from my head.
In a society that constantly represents unrealistic and un-obtainable views of beauty, it is nice to see the natural hair wave reach the major network television. I can look at a series like This Is Us and see that I am represented.
There is nothing wrong with my hair. In fact, it is beautiful.
Do you watch ‘This Is Us’? What do you think of Beth’s character.
Follow us on Instagram @NaturallyCurly and Tierra @blackgirl.slays for more black girl magic
